Meizu Pro5 speaker issue - no sound

halucigenia · 15 Nov 2017, 10:56

I have just recently installed UBports Ubuntu Touch on a Meizu Pro5 (Chinese version).
After installing I found that the speakers did not work and when pressing volume up/down the volume window was titled "headphones" without headphones plugged in. This did stop happening after a while, but I don't know what caused it to stop happening.

It is now back again - no sound from the speakers.

Is this a known issue/bug?

Stefano · 15 Nov 2017, 11:43

@halucigenia Try to plug in the earphones and unplug it. It might be some dirt inside.

halucigenia · 15 Nov 2017, 11:58

@Stefano I powered off, plugged in some headphones, powered back on and now I get no volume control at all. Volume is set to the lowest setting in settings > sound.

I powered off and back on again and the volume control came back again but it's still stuck on headphones.

The headphones are emitting sound but no sound from the speakers after unplugging the headphones.

Stefano · 15 Nov 2017, 18:47

@halucigenia try uVolMan app from OpenStore, you can manually set the volume levels.

halucigenia · 16 Nov 2017, 07:26

@Stefano said in Meizu Pro5 speaker issue - no sound:

@halucigenia try uVolMan app from OpenStore, you can manually set the volume levels.

Thanks, after fiddling about with it some more the speaker volume came back. I don't know what it was that fixed it. uVolMan might help if it happens again, I have installed it now.

halucigenia · 17 Nov 2017, 11:57

Arrrggghhh, it's gone again and using uVolMan makes no difference.
I wish I could figure out why it stops working and why it starts working again...

Stefano · 17 Nov 2017, 19:38

@halucigenia it might be a loose connection, the speaker connectors are very tiny and might be moved or maybe there is a dirt/condensation/oxidation on them. If you dare to open it, it might be the solution. I have done similar thing on a different phone though, phone randomly loosing sound ... the culprit was that the phone fell on floor from height and the pins on speaker moved....

halucigenia · 18 Nov 2017, 09:40

@Stefano A bad connection, that could be it, it has a dent on the top of the metal case where it must have been dropped before I got it.
It looks hard to open up though, I understand the screen has to be taken off somehow to get into it.
Maybe as a second hand device my Pro5 is not such a bargain after all.

halucigenia · 18 Nov 2017, 11:15

OK, I found A YouTube video that shows how to open up the Pro5 and clean the headphone module. There's no text concerning what the issue is apart from the words "the guilty" at 06:50 but I am guessing that means that there is a fault is because of the headphone socket being dirty.
Disassembly does not look too difficult, so I might give it a try.
Now I'll have to order a sonic cleaner like on the video.

mlinodasilva · 2 Dec 2017, 00:27

I have a reated but slightly different issue:

On my Meizu 5, I cannot hear the call unless I am using headphones or putting in loud speaker mode. Pretty annoying, and it must be a software bug since using the phone in loudspeaker mode does work.

I eve tried uVolMan to no avail. I resorted to using the phone with headphones exclusively...

halucigenia · 2 Dec 2017, 10:50

@mlinodasilva said in Meizu Pro5 speaker issue - no sound:

or putting in loud speaker mode. Pretty annoying, and it must be a software bug since using the phone in loudspeaker mode does work.

What do you mean by "putting in loud speaker mode", how do you put it into and take it out of "loud speaker mode"? Maybe that is what is happening to me, I am only getting sounds when it is in "loud speaker mode" but I am not consciously "putting it in loud speaker mode"?

So, I am now wondering, does the top earpiece speaker for voice calls just not work on the Pro5 in UBPorts Ubuntu Touch, would it require a software fix, or is it a fixable hardware fault?

Maybe something could be done about it if it is a common problem in all Pro5s?

I have seen some mods on XDA for Pro5s regarding the speakers:-

Stereo speaker MOD
and
Meizu PRO 5 Volume Editor(Root needed). Stereo speakers configuration

Maybe those are worth looking into?

Stefano · 2 Dec 2017, 16:46

@halucigenia I had my hands on 3 Meizu Pro 5 and none had such an issue, so my guess is a hardware - loose connection/oxidation on contacts. Nor I had an issue with the phones with Flyme or Resurection Remix. It's rather easy to pry open and try to clear, maybe you give it a go.

mlinodasilva · 2 Dec 2017, 20:46

To put the phone in loud speaker mode, once the call starts, you can tap the icon with the speaker and an x and the call will be put in loud speaker mode, which means that you and the people next to you can hear the person who is calling, and further, the people calling can hear people speaking nearby. Some call it conference mode too.

My question regarding this issue is: OK if this is an hardware bug, does this mean that the phone has two sets of speakers? one for the regular call, and another for the loud speaker/conference mode?

Because if there only is one speaker in the hardware, it cannot be anything else than a software bug since the speaker works pretty well (playing musing and such).

I'm willing to believe I'm having an hardware issue, but I'd like to be sure before disassembling the phone again (I had to repair a broken glass once).

Stefano · 3 Dec 2017, 05:56

@mlinodasilva there is one on the top if the phone ( that is earphone speaker ) and another one is down the bottom where the 4 holes are(this is the loudspeaker)

halucigenia · 3 Dec 2017, 19:04

@Stefano said in Meizu Pro5 speaker issue - no sound:

@halucigenia I had my hands on 3 Meizu Pro 5 and none had such an issue, so my guess is a hardware - loose connection/oxidation on contacts. Nor I had an issue with the phones with Flyme or Resurection Remix. It's rather easy to pry open and try to clear, maybe you give it a go.

I was thinking of doing this, opening it up and cleaning, especially since I now understand the it must be a fault with the top earpiece speaker.
But, I could not get any of my precision screwdrivers to drive the two screws either side of the USB port. Then I realised, they're pentalobe screws like on iPhones. So I have ordered a suitable driver, I hope the screw heads are not now mashed.

The earpiece speaker is also available as a spare part for a reasonable price, so if cleaning it up does not work I could replace it.

halucigenia · 3 Dec 2017, 19:14

@mlinodasilva said in Meizu Pro5 speaker issue - no sound:

To put the phone in loud speaker mode, once the call starts, you can tap the icon with the speaker and an x and the call will be put in loud speaker mode,

Thanks, but what about when you are not making calls, currently if it's not in loudspeaker mode I don't hear a ringtone when I get a call or a notification. I just don't understand why sometimes it is in loudspeaker mode and sometimes not. If it could be purposely put into loudspeaker mode all the time at least that would help until I get the earpiece speaker fixed.

mihael · 3 Dec 2017, 20:05

Very rarely my Meizu Pro 5 would not ring. I think it is a bug. But I have it on vibrations so that helps.

halucigenia · 4 Dec 2017, 11:42

@mihael When it does not ring, if you press volume up/down does it say "Headphones" and when it does ring does it say "Speakers".
When you answer a call do you normally have to use headphones.
This is what I experience.

Or do you put it into loudspeaker mode so the voice of the caller is loud like it is in speaker/conference mode?
I have not experienced this but I don't take voice calls very often (I should try next time).

mihael · 4 Dec 2017, 17:10

@halucigenia I will try to use volume up / down when someone calls and it does not ring - I haven't tried that yet. I will let you know. It may be a week before it happens though.

Sometimes I use loudspeaker during a call and then, sometimes, there is this bug that the volume is low even though the speaker volume is setup at max. Then it helps if I hit once volume down and at that moment the volume immediately is back to max (max minus one click of volume down).

halucigenia · 15 Jan 2018, 15:24

Sorry about not posting for so long but I did manage to replace the top earpiece speaker if anyone is interested.
It made little difference as the device still intermittently goes into and out of headphone mode of its own accord.
At least the new earpiece speaker does work when it's not in headphone mode.